Method and equipment for performing CMP process

1. An apparatus for chemical-mechanical planarization, comprising:

a pad disposed over a rotatable platen;

a carrier head disposed over the pad and configured to retain a semiconductor substrate between the pad and the carrier head;

a tank configured to retain a liquid containing composition;

at least one tube fluidly coupled with the tank, the at least one tube comprising a photocatalyst therein;

a nozzle fluidly coupled with the tank through the at least one tube and configured to supply the liquid containing composition onto the pad; and

a light source configured to provide light to irradiate the photocatalyst, and the liquid containing composition passing through the at least one tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst comprises a transition metal or a compound thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, iron oxide, manganese dioxide, zinc oxide, and a combination thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst defines a longitudinal axis, and the longitudinal axis is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one tube.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photocatalyst comprises at least one unit, each unit selected from the group consisting of a sphere, a cube, a pyramid, a cylinder, a rectanguloid, a plate, or a combination thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the photocatalyst has a photocatalytic number in a range of from 10 to 10 6 defined by a total number of the at least one unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to emit light at an adjustable intensity.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light is visible light or ultraviolet light.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid containing composition is a slurry or a solution comprising hydrogen peroxide.

10. A method comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate between a carrier head and a pad disposed over a rotatable platen, the carrier head retaining the semiconductor substrate;

providing a liquid containing composition from a tank to a nozzle through at least one tube fluidly coupled with the tank and the nozzle, the at least one tube comprising a photocatalyst therein;

applying light from a light source to irradiate the photocatalyst, and the liquid containing composition passing through the at least one tube;

applying the liquid containing composition from the nozzle to the pad; and

polishing the semiconductor substrate while rotating the pad.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

measuring a thickness of the semiconductor substrate after polishing the semiconductor substrate for a period of time to determine material removal rate (MRR); and

adjusting intensity of the light so as to achieve a pre-determined MRR.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the intensity of light is adjusted based on a pre-determined standard curve comprising a plurality of light intensity values and a plurality of MRR values resulting from the plurality of light intensity values.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the photocatalyst comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, iron oxide, manganese dioxide, and zinc oxide.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the photocatalyst comprises at least one unit, each unit selected from the group consisting of a sphere, a cube, a pyramid, a cylinder, a rectanguloid, a plate, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the photocatalyst has a photo-catalytic number in a range of from 10 to 10 6 defined by a total number of the at least one units.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the light is visible light or ultraviolet light.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the photocatalyst defines a longitudinal axis along its longest side, and wherein the longitudinal axis is oriented parallel to the flow of the slurry adjacent to the nozzle.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the liquid containing composition is a slurry or a solution comprising hydrogen peroxide.

19. A method comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate on a pad disposed over a rotatable platen;

providing a liquid containing composition from a tank to a nozzle through at least one tube fluidly coupled with the tank and the nozzle, the at least one tube comprising a photocatalyst therein, wherein the liquid containing solution is a slurry or a solution comprising hydrogen peroxide, and wherein the photocatalyst comprises a transition metal or a compound thereof;

applying light from a light source to irradiate the photocatalyst, and the liquid containing composition passing through the at least one tube, wherein the light is visible light or ultraviolet light;

applying the liquid containing composition from the nozzle to the pad; and

polishing the semiconductor substrate while rotating the pad.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

measuring a thickness of the semiconductor substrate after polishing the semiconductor substrate for a period of time to determine material removal rate (MRR); and

adjusting intensity of the light so as to achieve a pre-determined MRR.